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Brain Structure and Function
Published in: Brain Structure and Function 5/2015

01-09-2015 | Original Article

Activity-dependent structural plasticity of Purkinje cell spines in cerebellar vermis and hemisphere

Authors: P. De Bartolo, F. Florenzano, L. Burello, F. Gelfo, L. Petrosini

Published in: Brain Structure and Function | Issue 5/2015

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Abstract

The environmental enrichment (EE) paradigm is widely used to study experience-dependent brain plasticity. In spite of a long history of research, the EE influence on neuronal morphology has not yet been described in relation to the different regions of the cerebellum. Thus, aim of the present study was to characterize the EE effects on density and size of dendritic spines of Purkinje cell proximal and distal compartments in cerebellar vermian and hemispherical regions. Male Wistar rats were housed in an enriched or standard environment for 3.5 months from the 21st post-natal day onwards. The morphological features of Purkinje cell spines were visualized on calbindin immunofluorescence-stained cerebellar vermian and hemispherical sections. Density, area, length and head diameter of spines were manually (ImageJ) or automatically (Imaris) quantified. Results demonstrated that the Purkinje cell spine density was higher in enriched rats than in controls on both proximal and distal dendrite compartments in the hemisphere, while it increased only on distal compartment in the vermis. As for spine size, a significant increase of area, length and head diameter was found in the distal dendrites in both vermis and hemisphere. Thus, the exposure to a complex environment enhances synapse formation and plasticity either in the vermis involved in balance and locomotion and in the hemisphere involved in complex motor adaptations and acquisition of new motor strategies. These data highlight the importance of cerebellar activity-dependent structural plasticity underling the EE-related high-level performances.
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Metadata
Title
Activity-dependent structural plasticity of Purkinje cell spines in cerebellar vermis and hemisphere
Authors
P. De Bartolo
F. Florenzano
L. Burello
F. Gelfo
L. Petrosini
Publication date
01-09-2015
Publisher
Springer Berlin Heidelberg
Published in
Brain Structure and Function / Issue 5/2015
Print ISSN: 1863-2653
Electronic ISSN: 1863-2661
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1007/s00429-014-0833-6

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